"Global warming has affected all regions in Indonesia as evident from the rise in the sea level as a result of mangrove forest destruction," the director general of marine, coastal areas and isles, Subandono Diposaptono, said here on Wednesday.
He said the launching of the mangrove sapling planting drive s would be attended by Vice President Boediono, the fisheries and marine resources minister, the governor of Bangka-Belitung province, elementary, junior and senior high students of Sijuk subdistrict and residents of Tanjung Kelayang.
"This is the peak of the "Sail Wakatobi Belitong" 2011 series of events and is part of efforts to increase people`s awareness of the importance of mangrove forests," he said.
He said the sea level across Indonesia is rising five to 10 milimeter a year to make land areas to deplete while the population is increasing.
He said mangrove forests are one of the coastal ecosystems that plays a very important role for the life of sea biota so that damage in mangrove forests would affect sea biota.
(Uu.H-YH/HAJM/A014)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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